Danny Baker's BBC London show to be axed.

[teuchter]

This station is just disappointment after disappointment...GLR was a brilliant station - butchered to be turned into BBC London. Heartbreaking. But listening figures went up Philistines!! Then they got rid of Norman Jay...sacrilege. It will just get to its logical conclusion as cabby FM with football followed by Why oh Why phone ins. What a load of shite.

Yup

 

[Badgers]

Thing is the Elms/Baker shows are the kind of thing commercial radio doesn't do - exactly what the BBC should be doing. Commercial radio is full of Nestor-style horrors.

Yes

 

[teuchter]

I haven't heard Baker's show and I see that he seems to have some dedicated fans, presumably for a good reason. I only know him from the TV and dribs and drabs here and there and he comes across as intolerable self-regarding little twat. His on-air rant today was very reminiscent of DLT's resignation. He even brought up Savile the bitter little shit.

Maybe if I had listened more, maybe I'm not getting something etc. etc. but he has always been repellent to me so I couldn't bring myself to make the effort.

Radio is his thing so don't judge him by his TV stuff. And the BBC London show fitted him well. Better than the R5 thing.

Thing is, he's good, really good, at radio, and he knows it. And he'll quite happily be fairly upfront about that in certain situations like today's show (or when he was on desert island discs, when he did come over a bit full of himself).

But most of the time he's not really self-regarding at all, and in fact he always makes a point of not reading out the kind of emails and stuff saying how great the show is, unlike many other, lesser, presenters have a habit of doing.

He's quite fiercely resistant to getting pushed around and told what to do - and I can imagine could be difficult to work with in some ways... his agent must have to do quite a lot of dowsing of flames - but that's also what's what makes him so good, and generally he can get away with it more than others. As alluded to in today's show he's generally refused to get involved with the kind of BBC London nonsense that other presenters have - pointless outside broadcasts in shopping centres (and the whole Olympics hysteria) and he should get respect for giving listeners the stuff that they actually want rather than what some kind of nebulous BBC management decides we want.

I didn't think today's "rant" was bitter, I think he was saying exactly what needed to be said and what lots of listeners also want to hear said. Not that anyone at BBC London was probably listening. As others have said it's a real tragedy what it's become compared to GLR 10+ years ago.

 

[Badgers]

I would like to have some beers with him and teuchter. It would be a convivial evening for all.

(Danny is buying btw)

 

[teuchter]

I would like to have some beers with him and teuchter. It would be a convivial evening for all.

(Danny is buying btw)

sounds good. when are you free?

 

[Badgers]

sounds good. when are you free?

I can make time. Shall we call or tweet him?

 

[Favelado]

.....I for one dont give a shit what somebody from Salford may or may not have to say about anything.

Fucking hell. Yet the rest of the country is supposed to listen rapt and spellbound at what pours out of London. One little shift to the North and the whinging starts.

I do like London, but sometimes you people....

 

[oryx]

Fucking hell. Yet the rest of the country is supposed to listen rapt and spellbound at what pours out of London. One little shift to the North and the whinging starts.

I do like London, but sometimes you people....

I don't think the point Stoat Boy was making was a geographical one, more about the BBC's decisions from on high.

 

[Favelado]

I don't think the point Stoat Boy was making was a geographical one, more about the BBC's decisions from on high.

If so, I've ballsed up a bit and take it all back.

 

[manny-p]

shame to hear this

 

[teuchter]

I can make time. Shall we call or tweet him?

I don't do twitter.

You have his number in your phone, right?

 

[clicker]

Bloody hell hoped this wouldnt happen....sent my email of opposition to the proposed axe at the time....Danny Baker and Robert Elms are the only two people I love listening to on the radio....both excellent storytellers and quite original shows....what next ? A nightmarish coupling akin to Lisa Snowden and that abomination that was johnny vaughan...no you're not funny, yes it is early....now slip off quietly.

Glad Danny hasnt served his 'notice', his two fingers approach to the heirarchy was refreshing, he'll be missed and hopefully snapped up in no time....now if only his mate Chris could buy a radio station....again.

 

[Badgers]

I don't do twitter.

You have his number in your phone, right?

It is probably under D or B

What shall I listen to

 

[Stoat Boy]

I don't think the point Stoat Boy was making was a geographical one, more about the BBC's decisions from on high.

No. I was making a geographical point. BBC London should be one of the flagship stations on the BBC network and should be very specifically London centric in terms of how its presented and run. I dont want to listen to anything broadcast from outside of the M25 because its completely irrelevent to what is happening in London.

As I understand it the long game on this is to make BBC 5 'live' the default for most regional afternoon broadcasting with just localised breakfast and drive time shows. And given that I care very little what a lorry driver from Dagenham has to say on anything I care even less what his colleague from Newcastle or Bristol or what ever little provincial hell hole has to say nor am I interested in listening to regional accents in terms of the broadcasters themselves.

Salford might as well be a different country as far as I am concerned.

 

[mod]

This is a real shame and I'm really gutted as Baker put a little warmth and joy into my afternoons.

If Robert Elms goes too my days are gonna really drag.

 

[Badgers]

What shall I listen to

Help me

 

[Santino]

Help me

iPlayer has three or four years worth of Danny Baker shows.

 

[Badgers]

iPlayer has three or four years worth of Danny Baker shows.

Roughly the duration I have been regularly listening to him

 

[teuchter]

iPlayer has three or four years worth of Danny Baker shows.

where?

 

[teuchter]

I wonder what the pin-headed weasels are doing right now

 

[Badgers]

I wonder what the pin-headed weasels are doing right now

I will be using this a lot from now on ^

 

[Maggot]

I wonder who's gonna present todays show?

 

[yardbird]

The BBC London website is not up to speed.
Danny's show is still listed in 'coming up' and it says:

"The radio genius with great guests, calls and music"

 

[teuchter]

I wonder who's gonna present todays show?

If they get the abysmal Gary Crawley in, that will really rub it in, what we've lost.

I wonder what will happen with Amy and Baylen? They probably can't afford to walk out and give up their notice period. I feel for them.

 

[Hassan I Sabha]

Yesterdays show can be listened to here

 

[teuchter]

I will be using this a lot from now on ^

Same here

 

[Bungle73]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-20173385

I've always liked Danny Baker, even right back to when he was on The Six O'Clock Show on ITV (anyone remember that). Never listened to his radio show though, I guess I should have.

 

[Hassan I Sabha]

If you can get hold of the dozen or so podcasts he did 'on his own' with the other Danny (name eludes me) they are well worth a listen

 

[Maggot]

BBC London boss Robey is on Vanessa now to explain his decision.

 

[Bungle73]

If you can get hold of the dozen or so podcasts he did 'on his own' with the other Danny (name eludes me) they are well worth a listen

Thanks, I'll have to check them out.